Chaff separator and furnace



y 1953 G. w. HARDY CHAFF SEPARATOR AND FURNACE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 14, 1950 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. GORDON m HARDY AGE/VT y 6, 1953 G. w. HARDY CHAFF SEPARATOR AND FURNACE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1950 IN VEN TOR. GORDON m HA ROY AGENT Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED 'STATESPATENT OFFICE CHAFF SEPARATOR AND FURNACE Gordon W. Hardy, Chula Vista, Calif. Application February 14, 1950, Serial No. 144,187

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a chaff separator and furnace, more particularly for use in removing chaff or the like from an air stream or fiue gases, and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a separator and furnace of this class which may be used intermediate a source of air laden with solids and an air cleaning device adapted to remove fine particles of foreign matter from air, whereby the separator and furnace cleans the air sufficiently to permit the same to be passed through an air cleaner without clogging the same;

Second, to provide a chaff separator and burner of this class which concurrently separates the chafi" from the compressible fluids carrying the same and burns said chaff and delivers the products of combustion into the stream of compressible fluids which delivers the chaff to the burner,

providing complete disposition of solids carried by a stream of compressible fluid;

Third, to provide a chaff separator and furnace of this class which is particularly adapted for use as an element in combination with air cleaning devices for the purpose of controlling smog emanating from industrial plants, such as those operated by the coffee industry, or the like;

Fourth, to provide a chaff separator and furnace of this class having a novel combination of a movable screen interposed in the path of the compressible fluids carrying chaff or the like, whereby chaff is removed from the air or other compressible fluid by the movable screen and is scrubbed from the screen by a brush, which causes the chaff to gravitate into a burner for disposition thereof;

Fifth, to provide a chaff separator and furnace of this class which has a novel moving screen and stationary brush, which removes chaff or other similar matter from a compressible fluid passing therethrough, whereby the brush prevents the screen from becoming clogged by continuously deposited foreign matter carried by the air passing through the screen;

Sixth, to provide a chaff separator and furnace of this class havin a novel combination of means for separating the chaff from the compressible fluids passing through the separator, and means for burning the chaff and recirculating the fumes from the burning chaff, together with the ashes which are carried by the products of combustion, so that the chaff is burned and its products of combustion are also removed by the same means which separate the chaff from the compressible fluids carrying the same;

Seventh, to provide a chafl separator and burner of this class having a vertical passage at the lower end of which a roller is provided to receive impinging chaff and to rotatably remove said chaff from its surface by rotation in contiguous relationship to the edge of a scraper directly above a burner which causes combustion of the chaff and Eighth, to provide a chaff separator and furnace of this class which-is very simple and economical of construction, efficient in operation, and which will not readily deteriorate or'get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, and a certain modification, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of my chaff separator and furnace, showing parts and portions in elevation to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken from the line 22 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of my chaIf separator and burner.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

The fire box I, burner 2, separator housing 3, drum 4, screen wheel 5, brush 6, shaft I, bearings 8 and 9, pulley Ill, and the drum shaft II, constitute the principal parts and portions of my chaff separator and furnace.

In the construction of my chaff separator and furnace, I have provided a flre box I at the lowermost position'in said chaff separator and furnace, in which the burner 2 is operated. It will be noted that the bottom Ia, of the furnace I is pro vided with an opening Ib, covered by an inverted channel-shaped member Ic, having a small hole Id in the middle thereof. The burner 2 is placed directly below the hole Id and is a conventional gas burner or the like, adapted to emit an upwardly directed flame, which is drawn through the hole Id, due to low pressure in the interior of the fire box I.

The fire box I is provided with an inlet opening Ie in its upper side, adapted to admit chaff or the like, and adjacent this opening Ie is a scraper If, having its scraping edge I :i in substantially contiguous relationship with the periphery 4a of the drum 4. This drum 4 is rotatably mounted on the drum shaft II, and may be rotated by any suitable motor, not shown in the drawings. The separator housing 3 is provided with a vertically disposed passage 3a, communicating at its lower end with the surface of the drum 4. This passage 30, is defined by walls 3?) and 3c. The wall 30, at its lower end portion 3d, terminates in vertically spaced relation to the surface of the drum 4, and

4 through the passage 3a and the solid materials, such as chaif, impinge upon the roller 4, which rotates in the direction as indicated by the arrow A, causing the same to be scraped oil by the scraper I7, which forces the materials to be deposited into the firebox I, around the opening Id above the burner 2, which emits a flame which is drawn through the opening Id for burning the chafi or the like in the fire box I.

parallel to=th'e 1wa11 3-is a wall 36; whichiis' spacediilo Ifilwill be here noted that some of the solids therefrom'an'd extending vertically, providinga secondary passage 3], which extends into the separating chamber portion 37', which communicates with the screen wheel 5.

The housing 3 is also provided with a furnace l5 flue gas passage 3k, which comm-unio'ateswith the first-mentioned passage 3a-ati3m,- and...com-- municates at its lower end with" the interior of the fire box I. It will be noted that the comm'm carried by"the "air or gas streanrmassing vertically and downwardly in the passage 3a may be slightly sticky or damp and tend to adhere to. the surface-- of-.the roller 4, which is neatly cleaned by the scraper edge I 7, which prevents the clogging of chaff near the lower end of the passage 3 aroundnthe roller 4.

Itwill'be notd that chaff is burned in the fire-'ilooxil and the flue gases and ashes pass nication of the furnace fii'ie gas vent with the upwardly through the passage 37c and into the passage 1T3Gx'iS substantiallyabove the surface-ofthe drum -4, sovthateash 02:1I'iBd'by thGrfllie gases: fromothe fire-:box r I -may bee-forced: downwardly 1 inte -impinging relationship; with thew-surface 0f? the drum 4:

ASSShOWl-I in: Figs-l 1 :of the-drawings the lower: end of the wall 36 is slightly spaced rfromnthe peripherymf -the:drum1 ll; providing-an outlet for chair-I carriedon the: surface-ref thedrum 4 passage 3a through the opening- 3m. Any lashes carried-by the Iflue-gasesmayebeecollcetedvwithr th'e.-. chait-on.v.the-. drum 4 and-returned to. the.- fire box I. Howevergfanymhaffflonash which;

255iistcarriedupwardly through the passage Sf-1' is collected on the screen-5d ofa the-screen wheel:- 5, which-is continually rotat'ed by meansof-nthe pulley.- I I! driven by, a "motor not shown in the drawings. Asthe"screen=-wheel 5-rotates-r inthe direction as indicated bythearrow A-, so-that contiguous relationship to--thebrush 6; chafi-v theichafi may-be delivered through theopening.-,

Ie into the fire box I over the burner 2.

Thewscreen wheel 15?- is mounted. on av-shaft 1,

carried- -by bearings 8 and 9, supported in r theand-asl1es.which collect on the screen flat aredislodged and gravitate downwardly through the opening Ie -andinto -the-fire-box-l, labovethe burner 2 The air which passes-through the separatorthousing'rfi; and-this screenawheel 5 ds screensid isaconductewthrough the outlet- 3&

IJI'GVidBdw with: a: peripheral: ring portion 5a: having-1 integrat r radiating 1 spokes 5b supported byrra' centrai hub 5o. on:: the-:shaft-I; One side: of. wthe scre'enwheel 5 -is' completelycovered by to :theaircleaner, jwhich as hereinbefore described ldraws a apartial vacuum thereon.

The modificatioma.as- -shown in Figa -3-:of' the: drawings, has the parts-designated- --as follows;

atmeshnscreen 5d-andthering-shaped peripheral-"The fire box I2; SBp2a1&liOI.ca,sing 13 screen M portiomfia ofthis screen= wheel-- '5, at theopposite side thereof from the screen 511, overlaps-the partitionc 3p around the openings 3q therein. Thus; chaff -laden'air which Joy-passes: [the drum- 4 and :tends topasssthrough :-the screen '5d K of v the wheeluS, must pass-through thescreen 5d" to enter the exit chamber 3W before passing? throughrthe: outlet 33-:- It "will be-notedvth'at the outlet 38 of the housing 3 communicateswith theintakeof an aircleaningidevice-or the like,- whereby; partial vacuum is created within the housing: 3, which causes the flame from the burner :2,=here-=- inbefore described; to be drawniinto the firefibox I throughthehole Isl-. The brus-h -6,-- as shown im Figarl of the=drawings, is arranged incontiguousi relationshipcwith the sereen'ficlofathe screen-i wheel 5.

This: brush 6 is supportedby. a bracket 6a extending; from theinnerside :wall of the housing 3, and as shown in-Figs. 1, this bracketffia alsm supports the bearing: 9: Ihe'rinlet' 375 01: the: housing? 3 communicates with- -the :exhauststachof. a coffee roasting :furnace, or any'other in---' dustrial -installation which emits racompressible: fluid laden with: certain solid materials :which are combustiblev The operation of my; chafi= separator and; furn'ace is substantiallyr'as follows Whenwthea air .cleaner or centrifiugali blower hereinbefore described, and which is: no part? of my, present invention, is creatingrz a: partial vacuumein the casings-'3 -andwforcing the-:com--- pressible fluids tGEmOVB iII- a /directionasrin--- dicated by. the arrowsi Y, chaffeladen-i smoke orairs brush I5,.,rollers- Idand- I1, shafts-I8-*and: I9, pulleys 20 andwz I and the :belt- 22."

The fire -box-l2;;. as shown in Figs 3 of-the-' draw-ings, ,is providedwith a. burnercompartment I2d inits lowermost portion, which is provided withWfreSh-I air vents 1 I 2?); adaptedto-r posite. end-of this-vent pipe. I2f-communicates-.- with the upper.interior.of .the separatorcasing- I3, adjacent the intake 'II-Ibwthereof into which chafi-lade'n air is admitted during operation -ofl the centrifugal. blower hereinbeforedescribed.

Diagonally disposed within the separator casing.

I 3 is J the endless" screen I 4,T".pos'itionedovernthes rollers I6and I'Ifwhic'h arerotatablymounted about the-' axes of the shafts .I I8 and I9} re! spect'ively;

The. shaft I 9 lis providedawith -:a pulley ZII on its extendingend-which projects -from the sep'a-- rator -casingal 3 and engaging the: pulley --2 I! ris' a belt.;22 which\ also engages: the pulley'2 I on the: motor ZIa, which drives ther= rollers Ifi and I'I' is drawnmdownwardly into, theicasine -fi: vertically; pandtther-screena I 4; ,engagedgt -x megtag;

tionary brush I5 is provided with bristles contiguous with the screen l4 on the roller 16, and adjacent this brush [5 the fire box I2 is provided with an opening 12h, through which chaff passes from the screen l4 after being scrubbed therefrom by the brush l5.

The operation of the modification as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings is substantially as follows:

When the centrifugal blower, not shown in the drawing and which is no part of my present invention, creates a partial vacuum on the outlet conductor l3a of the separator casing l3, flue gas or other compressible fluid enters the intake conductor I31) of the separator casing I3, carrying with it various solids, such as chaff or the like, which impinge upon the screen M. The screen l4 moves as indicated by the arrows A, in its engaged relationship with the rollers l6 and H, which are driven by the motor Ma. The chaff which impinges upon the screen I4 is carried downwardly and a certain proportion thereof falls through the opening I272. into the fire box 12 adjacent the opening He in the bottom thereof, through which the flame from the burner [20 is drawn. The brush I5, in its stationary position, scrubs moist or sticky chaff or other solids from the screen l4, so that each cycle of movement of the screen l4 around the rollers l6 and I1 cleans the screen and presents a foraminous structure, through which the air may pass from the separator casing inlet 13b to the separator casing outlet [3a.

It will be here noted that the fumes rising in the fire box It, a indicated by wavy arrows, pass upwardly through the conductor I2 and into the separator casing 13 and mix with the air or fumes entering through the inlet conductor 1317. Any ashes carried by the fire box fumes are caught on the screen 14 and returned to the fire box, so that the recirculation of solids continues until they become sufficiently fine to pass through the screen I4. The mesh of the screen I4 is sufficiently fine to correspond to the structure of the air cleaner hereinbefore described as a centrifugal blower, the intake of which communicates with the outlet conductor l3a of the separator casing l3.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, and a certain modification, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, nor to the modification, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a chafi separator and furnace, a casing having an inlet conductor and an outlet conductor, said casing having vertical wall portions defining a substantially vertical passage communicating directly with said inlet conductor, a rotatable drum at the lower end of said passage, a fire box below said drum and having an opening in the upper portion thereof communicating with the periphery of said drum below said passage, a scraper adjacent the periphery of said drum and extending toward said fire box near the opening in the upper portion thereof, said passage terminating a short distance above said drum and communicating with said outlet conductor, a movable screen intermediate said passage and said outlet conductor, and brush means engaging said screen for continuously cleaning th same.

2. In a chaff separator and furnace, a casing having an inlet conductor and an outlet conductor, said casing having vertical wall portions defining a substantially vertical passage communicating directly with said inlet conductor, a

rotatable drum at the lower end of said passage, a fire box below said drum and having an opening in the upper portion thereof communicating with the periphery of said drum below said passage, a scraper adjacent the periphery of said drum and extending toward said fire box near the opening in the upper portion thereof, said passage terminating a short distance above said drum and communicating with said outlet conductor, a movable screen intermediate said passage and said outlet conductor, and brush means engaging said screen for continuously cleaning the same, means below said brush means extending to said opening in the upper portion of said fire box for conducting solid materials brushed from said screen into said fire box.

GORDON W. HARDY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 975,391 Blaik Nov. 15, 1910 1,493,789 Mullen May 13, 1924 1,747,676 Kerr Feb. 18, 1930 1,949,002 Annis Feb. 27, 1934 2,211,812 Colbert Aug. 20, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 188,698 Germany Sept. 12, 1907 

